Steam treating apparatus



Feb. 22, 1949. R. L. PARKER 2,462,220

STEAM TREATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1946 "jig 1 .37 35 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,462,220 STEAM TREATING APPARATUS Royce L. Parker, Addison, Ill.

Application February 23, 1946, Serial No. 649,713

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to steam treating apparatus or a foam and air space heater. The invention is particularly useful for removing moisture from steam so as to supply dry steam. The invention is useful in connection with pasteurizing equipment in which dry steam is supplied in the vapor space above the milk. The absence of suspended water droplets or moisture prevents dilution of the milk with water.

An object of the invention is to provide simple and efi'icient apparatus for the treatment of steam before it is sent to the pasteurizer or other apparatus so that the steam is free of entrained water droplets or moisture and may be used effectively as dry steam in the pasteurizing or other operations. Yet another object is to provide compact and efiicient mechanism for the efiective treatment of steam and the efiicient elimination of droplets or moisture therein. Other specific obtion proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a broken view in elevation and partly in vertical section of apparatus embodying my invention; and Fig. 2, a plan sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 2--2 of Fig. 1.' I

In the illustration given, designates a casing which provides a main operating chamber I I. Within the casing I0 is a smaller casing member l2 which provides a small expansion chamber l3. The casing I2 is supported within the casing Ill by means of a threadedsleeve l4 pressed within the member l2 and internally engaged by the nut E5. The steam inlet pipe I6 is received within the nut Received within the lower portion of the casing I2 is a steam trap pipe I! which extends through the bottom portion of casing in and is connected by the fitting ill with the steam trap A screen member is preferably secured within the chamber I3 so as to receive the incoming steam and remove a portion of the entrained water droplets, etc.

Threadedly connected to the upper portion of easing I2 is a valve fitting 2| controlled by the valve member 22. The valve stem 22 extends through a packing gland 23 and is provided at its upper end with a control handle 24. The fitting 2 I is provided with an outlet passage 25. The fitting 26 merges with fitting 21 to form a substantially T-fitting. The upper portion of the fitting which rects the steam downwardly toward an outlet drain fitting 33 in the bottom wall of casing l0. At an intermediate point between the nozzle 29 and outlet fitting 32 is the casing outlet 34. From the outlet 34, a pipe 35 leads to the vapor portion of the pasteurizer or other treating chamber which requires dry steam.

Operation In the operation of the apparatus, the steam to be treated enters through pipe I6 into the inner chamber I3 where it meets the baffle or wire screening 20. In this chamber, the entrained droplets are removed and flow downwardly through the trap drain IT. The steam leav'es chamber l3 through the passage 25 which is controlled by valve stem 22. In the passage 28 within fitting 21, the steam forms a. divided stream, one portion of which extends through pipe 30 to operate the pressure gauge 32 while the other extends through the reduced-opening nozzle 29 from which it is discharged downwardly toward the outlet 33. Any free droplets or entrained moisture is thrown outwardly from the steam as it moves downwardly toward outlet 33. The dry steam which is recovered must reverse its course and pass upwardly and be drawn off through outlet 35.

It will be noted that the above operation provides in a single casing all of the operating mechanism. The thin walls of casin l0 provide an extensive area for the condensation and removal of moisture, while also the pipes and structures maintained within the casing I 0 provide extensive areas for the condensation thereon of moisture and droplets and aid in the removal thereof.

Water collecting in the bottom'of casing l3 drains off through the outlet fitting 33.

To facilitate access to the parts within the casing I0, I prefer to make the upper portion of the casing removable and I have, therefore, provided a removable head 36 which is secured to the casing H] by means of bolts 31. The bolts or screws 3'! extend through a, gasket 38 and through a fiange 39 provided by a tubular member welded to the top of casing ID. The packing gland 23 extends through th head 36 and provides a guide for the valve stem 22.

The apparatus is compact and the parts are in an arrangement which produces an efl'ective removal of droplets and moisture from the steam.

While in the foregoing specification, I have set forth certain details as illustrating one mode in which .the invention may be practiced, it will be understood that such details may be varied considerably by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for removing moisture and entrained water droplets from steam, comprising a casing providing a small expansion chamber, .a trap pipe communicating with said expansion chamber extending downwardly below said casing, a pipe for conveying steam into said chamber, a screen in said expansion chamber and enveloping the inlet of said supply plant pipe, a conduit extending upwardly from said expansion chamber, a discharge nozzle connected to said upwardly extending conduit and directed downwardly for discharging steam toward the bottom of the casing, and an outlet pipe for dry steam extending laterally from said casing at rightangles-to'the steam discharged'from said nozzle.

2. Apparatus for removing moisture and entrained water droplets from steam, comprising a casing providing on one side a small expansion chamber having an upwardly extending conduit and a downwardly extending conduit in axial alignment, a supply pipe for discharging steam into said chamber between said oppositely extending. conduits, a screen in said expansion chamber for the elimination of water carried by said steam, a nozzle-connected to said upwardly extending conduit and turned so as to discharge steam downwardly from the upper portion of said extending ilaterally into said expansion chamber for discharging steam therein between said oppositely extending conduits, a screen extending :over saidzsupply pipe, a nozzle connected to said upwardly extending conduit, said conduit being turned near the upper part of the casing to cause said nozzle to discharge steam downwardly adjacent one side of said main-chamber, and an outlet'fltting for dry steam extending from said side of the casing just below said discharge nozzle.

ROYCE L. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 393,543 Curtis Nov. 27, 1888 426,880 Taylor Apr. 29, 1890 684,829 Labadie Oct. 22, 1901 1,714,647 Vaughn May 28, 1929 

